The population and steets of San Cristobal are a good representation of the diversity of this colonial city. There are more than 200,000 people living in the colonial city, and nearly half of the population speaks Tzeltal. The city has eighty colonias surrounding the colonial center, and many of the native people have become active participants in urban self-reliance networks.
The indigenous population of San Cristobal used to be restricted to the streets at night and had to find a secure place until morning. In addition to fearing jail time, they avoided city life, and eventually became servants. This meant they had to give up their native clothing and learn Spanish to survive. However, despite the challenges they faced, the indigenous population was resilient. They survived the brutality and changed for the better.
Throughout the 1980s, San Cristobal's economy grew, and ladino businesses expanded. The local population grew, and many of the new business owners became more appreciative of the indigenous people. As the economy grew, they moved to the city, and the indigenous population resisted. The city's ladino population continued to resist the "invasion" of the indigenous population. Economic and demographic pressures forced the indigenous population to relocate, and as a result they developed coherent militant forms of organization.